Return of the Dragonoid (Freedom Fighters Duology: Book 2)
by Aria Breuer
Summary: The Renegade Alliance has united with the Shadow Empire. With Parker Dooley in charge, it's time for this light red dragonoid to defeat Vitiate, if he can. Sacrifices will be made. The final part of the journey to make Parker whole is about to be complete. Sequel to 'Maxin & Anabeth'.
1. Captured!

**Disclaimers:** I do not own _The Lord of the Rings_ , _The Chronicles of Narnia_ , and "Star Wars". They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, George Lucas, and Disney. All canon material belongs to their respected owners. All original material belongs to me, the authoress of this fanfiction story.

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Welcome to the conclusion of my fanfiction duology, _The Freedom Fighters_. :)

This is the last part for this mini-series, and now duology, for my anthology, Before the First Age. I know this is sudden, but after going through my ideas, I realized this is the part where this anthology will end and the First Age series begins, in my Origin Series. :'( We get to see how it all concludes for this anthology, but not the Origin Series, as that's far from over, and whether Parker will actually defeat Vitiate or redeem himself.

Enjoy. :)

Thanks goes to Adeleidhis for helping me out with ideas for this chapter. :)

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 _The_ _ **Spark**_ _. The Spark formed before_ _ **Life**_ _and_ _ **Death**_ _started, connecting worlds upon worlds until the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea found it and wielded it to create the_ _ **First World**_ _._

 _The Spark formed the_ _ **Force**_ _, the_ _ **Cube**_ _, an assortment of ethereal items, and powers, that help and hinder time, life, death, dreams, emotions, reality, and fantasy. Without the Spark, the First World and the_ _ **Universe**_ _would cease to exist._

.oOo.

Anabeth didn't remember when the last time was that she had taken flight on her own personal starship. Since leaving the shuttle at the Land of Dragons' space station, called the Makara, with its grey metal domes, Anabeth was left stunned by the craftsmanship of her personal starship with its brown-and-grey metal plating, as well as its disc-like shape that had its own style and uniqueness.

Before she entered the freighter, she was met by her pilots as well as her crew, the ones that would be traveling with her aboard this fine vessel. Traveling with her was a blue-skinned Twi'lek girl with light blue head tails, a man with short black hair, another man with short brown hair that was combed recently, and a purple-skinned, black-haired Sith woman donned in black robes. She had no idea what the Sith woman wanted. Anabeth wondered if it had anything to do with Vitiate spying on her and the Renegade Alliance. The Sith woman said she'd gone rogue and wasn't in league with Vitiate, but Anabeth didn't believe her. Still, she shook their hands and boarded her ship, alongside her crew, thankful that she wouldn't be piloting the ship, for she hadn't learned how to do that yet.

Anabeth was twenty years old with pale skin, fair features, curly blonde hair that flowed like a waterfall, striking bright blue eyes, and a thin frame, which only meant she was eating well. That was due to her part-wolf side that she received from her father Tobias, just before he changed back into a hobbit, all thanks to the Druid Brona's magic, just before he turned into the Warlock Lord and betrayed her, her mother Janet, and her father by reading a book called the Illdatch, containing dark magic.

She was part hobbit, due to her father's side, as well as part Dalmatian and part human, thanks to her mother. How she received this was beyond her reasoning, but at least she was as unique as they come.

Today, she wore a dark green shirt, a furry green jacket, a brown vest, long brown breeches, and black boots, which were surprisingly warm and cozy.

The moment she was inside the ship, with its metal ramp closed, Anabeth made her way into the port dormitory. After traversing down the narrow metal floor hallway, with its grey metal walls, Anabeth reached the port dormitory with a heavy sigh. It was a large rectangular room with three twin beds resting up against the wall.

She sat down on the middle bed, pulling out an icicle from her pack, one she and her mother received after defeating the Ice Queen, thanks to the shapeshifter Jacob warming the Ice Queen's heart, during hers and her mother's journey through the Four Seasons to find the icicle from the Ice Queen's lair.

She sighed again, knowing well what the icicle was for: to restore the red dragonoid Parker Dooley to the Light Side and make him whole again. It was told by Parker's human wife, Eliza Bowler-Dooley, that Parker had been the evil dragonoid Maranguan, before the Sith Emperor Vitiate betrayed him, leading Parker to become a grey dragonoid, grey meaning between the Light Side and the Dark Side. It made him unique amongst his fellow dragonoids. It also allowed Anabeth to wonder what sort of powers Parker had that he could show her. She could really show him what kind of magic she knew! Then maybe she could become his apprentice! That is if he didn't already have an apprentice.

"Anabeth, we're here!" the Twi'lek girl said, showing up in front of the doorway.

Anabeth looked up, stowing the icicle inside her pack. She slung the pack over her shoulders, following the Twi'lek girl to the cockpit. There was the purple-skinned Sith woman, piloting her ship. The colorful planet Zafna drew closer… until they descended to the surface, where they spotted a whole bunch of green-leafy trees.

Wait! There were large guns pointed right at their ship. They were blasting right at them! No, wait. Anabeth and her crew weren't enemies!

"What's going on?" Anabeth said as the ship crash-landed in front of a pearly-white temple. Colors swam across her vision. She was on the floor, her head throbbing badly. She blacked out for a few seconds, coming to, to find her crew were dead and she was in handcuffs. "Wait. _I'm not the enemy!_ " She screamed, doing her best to evade the shapeshifters, but to no avail, for she was trapped and heading off her ship, right to a red dragonoid that looked familiar.

The red dragonoid had a thin, muscular frame with a humanoid, lizard-like body and a dragon-like head attached to his short scaly neck. He had a short snout with a tipped end pointed up. His eyes blazed yellow, with red mist swirling in the irises. He had a pair of red, three-fingered frills along the sides of his head, with black tips at the end of the frills. His grey horns were short and curvy, while his black spikes ran down his back all the way down to his medium-sized tail, which curled around his red scaly feet. He had black claws that weren't extended on his red scaly hands and feet. If he chose, he would extend them in a threatening manner to his victims and his enemies.

The clothes he wore today were a white tunic, a pair of long brown breeches, and a blue cape, flowing gracefully behind him.

The red dragonoid looked Anabeth up and down. He snapped his fingers, telling a shapeshifter guard, "Take this woman to the cells. I'll interrogate her later!"

"Wait! You're Parker Dooley, the Emperor of the Shadow Empire?" Anabeth said, causing the guard to halt and look at him, suspiciously. The red dragonoid stared her down, not knowing what to do. "I have something for you. An icicle! It may help you out, make you whole again!"

The red dragonoid eyed her suspiciously. He asked her, curiously, "Who are you? How do you know me?"

"I think we should talk more in private," Anabeth said, curtly.

Parker nodded. At first, Anabeth thought he was going to let her go. Then he snapped his fingers, telling the guards to take her to a cell for interrogation. That can't be good!

"Wait! I didn't do anything! Parker, you must listen to me! _Parker!_ " Anabeth cried the moment she was moved into a room and thrown into a red force field cell. Great! This was not what she had in mind! Not at all!

~o~

Qua'ra made her way past the soldiers and civilians walking through the village, close to Parker's pearly-white main temple. At last, she found him taking a helpless girl prisoner! Was there something she missed? She was his apprentice.

Qua'ra was thin, due to the exercise she was giving herself regularly. This was because she often transformed into a lioness and needed to be buff for that form. Her lioness form showed long, jagged scars across her furry, light brown head, body, and tail. Today, she was in her human form, where she had pale skin that was tanned, due to being outdoors a lot. Her long brunette hair was straight and ran down the middle of her back. Her eyes were as green as diamonds, something Parker admired whenever he walked on Zafna's shores, the planet that had been their home for a year and three months now.

She panted, the moment she met up with Parker, her energy drained a little from the run. She asked her light red dragonoid friend, as soon as she caught her breath, "You're taking a girl prisoner? Do you know what this means?" She asked him, sharply.

"You're going to thank me later for questioning someone who doesn't know me that well?" Parker asked with a warm-hearted smile.

"No. I recognize that girl from the holo, the one who was a part of that group, the Renegade Alliance. The group you're sending here when you're ready to defeat Vitiate!" Qua'ra whispered, sharply. She asked, calming down, "You sure you're ready to take him on? I won't be with you when that happens."

"You're not coming with me?" Parker gulped, unsure what to say.

"No. Someone needs to stay behind and guard the temples from Vitiate's wrath," Qua'ra said, serious. "Also, I'll be taking your job, whenever you're ready to go defeat him. We've had this discussion before with the natives and with everyone else here. I think it's time the Renegade Alliance found out what you're doing."

"I'm going to defeat him, Qua'ra! Even you can't stop me from doing that, sealing my revenge," Parker said, determination in his eyes.

Qua'ra sighed. "I know. Just tell me why you want to defeat him, purely out of revenge? It won't slake your thirst for peace. You'll just be left a hollow figure, unable to stand life. Is that really what you need right now?"

Parker didn't say anything. He looked away, knowing she was right. Qua'ra pressed on, telling him, "Parker, what's more important to you? Think. Is it revenge? Is it your wife and son? You have a family, I have a family. We each need to remember our place in the galaxies, in this Universe. The Spark wasn't created for no reason. It knows when something is bound to happen, and it knows where your story is heading. All you need to do is to seek it out whenever you're ready. It'll show you the way."

She walked away, but not without informing him, "I'll be with my sister, Melena. Try not to get into too much trouble, while I'm gone."

"Agreed," Parker nodded with a smile, watching Qua'ra enter the temple without another word.

*.*.*

Thanks for reading. :)

 **References:**

The Force comes from the "Star Wars" galaxy. The Cube from the "Transformers" fandom.


	2. Family Reunion

Melena observed the holorecordings on a large holoterminal inside the main temple's war room. It had been too long since she and her family saw their sister Zeena, but it had taken three months prior to this trip just for Melena to track her sister down and convince her to join the cause to stop Vitiate.

Zeena agreed under one term, "Our family gets to keep the Shadow Empire, or the deal's off."

"We may not get to fight Vitiate, sister," Melena said to the dark brown-haired, emerald green-eyed young woman, also dressed in brown robes.

Zeena nodded. "That's all right. Centuries from now, Vitiate will be defeated. We'll be lucky to survive."

"I hope you're right," Melena said, calmly, grateful her sister was onboard with the mission.

So, here Melena was, a young woman with curly locks of brunette hair pulled back into a pony, green eyes as bright as crystals, and dressed in brown robes, while carrying a walking stick. She continued to observe the holoterminal, awaiting her sister's arrival.

She looked up upon hearing loud humming sounds. The Renegade Alliance was here. But how? Unless Parker gave the signal, they couldn't be here now! Or could they?

"Hey," Qua'ra said, approaching her older sister.

"Hey, Qua'ra. How are you?" Melena asked, curiously.

"Something you forgot to mention weeks ago is our sister Zeena. You said you tracked her down," Qua'ra asked, curious. "What I'm asking is what became of her? How did she become rogue?"

"You could sense that," Melena said, surprised. "I thought I would leave it in the dark for a time. I don't see how that concerns you."

"It concerns me greatly that you've been keeping secrets from me," Qua'ra said, sharply. "Or did you fail to mention Zeena's coming right now?"

"You have eyes on the back of your head, quite like Medusa," Melena said, chuckling. She faced her sister, telling her, "We'll be fine. Trust me." She looked on as a golden-brown lion, with long jagged scars all over his head, body, and tail, ran towards a door, opening to reveal Zeena, their sister. Melena sighed. Tack, hers and Qua'ra lion brother, was a handful, but he was also a good lion. "Hello, Zeena. It's good to see you."

"Pleasure," Zeena said, stunned by the golden-brown lion pouncing on her. "No. Tack, down!" She looked at Melena and Qua'ra, asking them, "How long has Tack been this way? He should be in human form by now."

"This is the form I'm used to," Tack said, shyly. He admitted to the group, "Aslan should be here soon."

"Where's Parker?" Zeena asked her siblings, curiously.

"Oh, I forgot! Let's go find him," Qua'ra said, leading her family out of the war room and down a white stone corridor, where they came to a smaller chamber with plenty of cells and other tools used for interrogation. It was in this room that Qua'ra caught Parker speaking to his son over Parker's son's fiancée. It was quite the showdown.

"Dad, why didn't you tell me you were taking Anabeth prisoner?" Maxin said over the holocomm, annoyed with him.

"I didn't know it was her! You might have at least allowed her to give me her name before we ended our last conversation," Parker said, annoyed as well.

Maxin huffed. "Well, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for doubting you. Please free Anabeth and I will forgive you."

"You're Anabeth, aren't you?" Parker asked the girl in the cell. She nodded, admitting it was who he said she was. She even pleaded with Maxin, doing her best to see him again. Parker sighed, realizing he did a bad thing. "Setting her free now." He moved over to a terminal, typed in a few buttons, and the cell's force field shut down. He sighed, right as Anabeth hugged him.

"I think she likes you!" Maxin said with a smile. He admitted to his dragonoid dad, "You almost enjoyed torturing my fiancée! I'm heading your way now!"

"Wait. What?" Parker asked in shock, right as the holocomm turned off. He stowed his holocomm away, moments before wrapping his arms around Anabeth and gently kissing her on the top of the head.

"You didn't let me explain!" Anabeth whimpered, loving being hugged.

"I know. It's fine," Parker released her, showing her her pack. "What did you want to show me?"

Anabeth revealed the icicle, allowing Parker to touch it. "This icicle will make you whole again. I just don't know how it works." Parker examined the icicle, loving the feel of it. Anabeth smiled, glad he was enjoying himself. She sighed in relief, the moment he handed the icicle back to her, before she stowed it away inside her pack again.

"Keep it with you. We'll figure it out when we can confront Vitiate together," Parker said, calmly.

"We're facing him together?" Anabeth asked, stunned.

"Yes," the golden-brown Great Lion called Aslan entered the interrogation room, as Maxin, a blond-haired, blue-eyed young man with pale skin, a thin, muscular build, and a rugged appearance, rushed towards Anabeth, embracing her and not letting her go.

Behind him was a woman in her mid-40s with curly brunette hair, which had grey strands sticking out in some places, emerald green eyes, fair features, pale skin, and a thin frame, donned in a blue dress with a furry sash wrapped around her. She was Eliza Bowler-Dooley, Parker's human wife.

There was another middle-aged woman coming up behind her, with a thin frame, pale skin, fair features, brown eyes, and hair as black as ebony. This woman wore a purple shirt, a black vest, black pants, and black boots. Anabeth recognized the second woman as her mother Janet, who embraced her with motherly affection.

The last creature to enter the interrogation room was a golden-brown lion named Corin. He stared at the group in awe and confusion. "Why are there so many people in this interrogation room?"

Anabeth laughed, enjoying the moment.

"That is an excellent question," Aslan said, grinning. "Come. We have much to discuss." He said, leading the three families out of the interrogation room.

Parker and Eliza stared at each other. For a long moment, neither knew what to say. Corin hung back to watch the couple, wondering how they would react. He knew that if Parker attempted to attack his wife again, Corin would be there to put an end to it. He wouldn't risk Eliza's safety over a red dragonoid who may or may not be whole again.

"Parker," Eliza said, managing to get the words out finally.

"Eliza," Parker said, stunned by her beauty. "I've been waiting a long time to see you. I know it's been a year. I'm truly sorry for the way I acted, the last time we met."

"You tried to kill me," Eliza said, sharply.

"I will make it up to you," Parker said in encouragement.

"How?" Eliza asked, cautious. She wanted to hug him so badly.

"See if we can defeat Vitiate. I still need to make a self-sacrifice, in order to be whole again," Parker admitted, bluntly. He didn't know what she would do. He just hoped he might get a hug and a kiss from her. Anything!

"That isn't your job," Corin announced, stepping in. "Didn't Aslan tell you? You won't defeat him! Someone else will! It'll be a suicide mission if we go there now!"

"I don't care. I need to make a self-sacrifice. I just don't know what that'll be yet," Parker said, softly.

"We're walking into a trap," Eliza said, worried about him. She couldn't take this anymore. "Oh, Parker!" She flung her arms around him, embracing him and not letting him go. She smiled when Parker returned the favor, wrapping his arms around her, giving her lots of kisses. It was so nice to feel this kind of strong affection towards each other, as if they'd never let each other go.

Corin sighed, smiling at the happy couple. He knew he couldn't keep those two apart forever. Something was bound to happen for it to be so. He smiled, glad to see them happy again.


	3. The Final Meeting

Elluin Taeganaen, a blond-haired elf with a keen eye and the son of Taegan, Janet's friend from the First World, couldn't make it to Aslan's meeting on the planet Zafna. It turned out Corin was keeping him at the realm, the Land of Dragons, saying he wasn't ready to take on Vitiate by himself. So, Elluin was stuck playing babysitter in the Land of Dragons, for Eliza made sure to keep the main base of the Renegade Alliance there, while she was gone, until Vitiate was defeated, or something else happened.

Glorfindel, a golden-haired elf who cared a lot about his charms and his agility, agreed to stay with Elluin and watch over him. That is if Elluin let him. Such was the life of an elf.

Aslan waited until the three families – Melena's, Parker's, and Janet's – were gathered around a larger table in the war room, before beginning the meeting. "Welcome." He smiled at them, knowing what they were doing was a suicide mission. "Where you're going is dangerous. I don't ask much of you. This mission is not to defeat Vitiate. I know that is your intention, but someone else will defeat him. He is still too powerful for any of you to face, including you, Parker." He looked at the red dragonoid, hoping he would seek reason. So far, Parker's expression was hardened.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let him win," Parker said, admitting frankly.

"You're still recovering from being the dark lord," Corin told him, shocked. "If you go there now, you'll be vulnerable to Vitiate's attacks! Whether or not he lets us go will be another question."

"I'll ensure he will let you all go," Aslan said. "The Emperor is strong, but not strong enough to combat my powers and that of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. My Father wouldn't allow it. That I can assure you."

"Well, I'm not going," Qua'ra said, announcing her claim to the Shadow Empire's throne. "Someone has to stay on Zafna and watch over these people. These shapeshifters need us. My family is staying." She said, feeling all eyes on her.

"That was the plan," Melena said, grateful for her younger sister's courage.

"Yeah!" Zeena inquired, admitting forthright. "I should stay, too, and help. After all," she faced Qua'ra, Melena, and Tack with encouragement, "this family did get separated for a reason. And apparently, not all of us are here, at this meeting."

"Kat'ka didn't want to come," Qua'ra announced, sadly. "She has her own business to attend to, getting our scarred lion and lioness army ready for the next mission."

"Ah. So, she has a job," Zeena said, impressed.

"As does Qua'ra's husband and Kat'ka's fiancée," Melena said promptly. "Kat'ka will be wed in a few weeks."

"Maxin and I were planning on getting married, too," Anabeth announced, clasping her fiancé's hand. "I don't know how quickly we want to get married." She asked Maxin, curiously.

"We'll get that sorted out, as soon as we defeat Vitiate," Parker said, determination in his eyes. "Weaken him. Something!"

"Parker, it's too risky," Corin said, sharply. "You don't know what you're getting into."

"Look, Vitiate betrayed me!" Parker said, seriously. "All I can ask is to have some vengeance for what he's done. He's responsible for turning me evil and for helping me break his connection. Well, that's what happened. He just let me go!"

"I get it. You're angry. Just don't take your vengeance out on someone whose more powerful than you!" Corin said, louder and more precise.

"He's right. That's what I've been telling you," Qua'ra spoke to Parker, trying to give him one last chance to turn back. "Parker, you're Emperor of this Shadow Empire. Your family can live on if you choose. What you're asking to do will change you. You won't be the same."

"I'm going," Parker said, keeping firmly to his decision.

Aslan nodded. "Then let it be so. We're going as soon as everyone's ready." He walked out of the war room, heading to the hangar. He waited until Parker, Eliza, Anabeth, Janet, Maxin, and Corin joined him, after Parker and Qua'ra dismissed the group. Qua'ra followed them, hoping for a final confirmation about her new position.

"Parker," Qua'ra watched Parker as he faced her, noticing that his scars were fading on his body. She pleaded with him, "don't go. You're my best friend. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm not coming back. Not yet. You're Empress now," Parker said, walking on ahead. He stopped, facing her. "If I do come back, remember me as I am now and not what I once was."

"I'll wait for your signal," Qua'ra nodded, heading back to the war room to be with her family.

It would take years before Parker returned to Zafna. For now, he met up with his family and Janet's family, as well as Aslan. They found a personal ship, Parker's ship, with is red and grey metallic plating and disc-like shape. They boarded it as soon as possible, turned on the engine, and with Aslan's help, Parker steered his ship out of the hangar and into space.

Their next stop: Dromund Kaas, where Parker turned to the Dark Side once, before he was redeemed hours later.


	4. A Battle of Wills

Parker moved his ship out of hyperspace. The forest world of Dromund Kaas was before him and his family, new and old. And there, out in space, was a grand space battle. He maneuvered his ship this way and that before reaching the planet's surface.

Yes, Kaas City lay before him, and with it, large guns trying to shoot him down. He just managed to use his magic to steer the ship in the right direction, right on the open docking bay leading to the interior of the Imperial Citadel. Yes, he remembered the black walls and the red banners with their circular Sith symbols decked out on the banners, leaving a foreboding atmosphere, the likes of which made Parker feel very agitated.

He turned off the ship's engine, informing his family, "If we're ready, then let's go." He stood up, pulling out from his belt his new silver-hilted lightsaber, complete with its own silver crystal, more attuned to the grey side. Parker had retired his lighter blue beamed lightsaber for the silver beamed one. It was all he could do to prove he was a grey dragonoid. That was all.

He made sure his weapon wasn't turned on, before stowing it back on his belt. He looked at Eliza, watching everyone leave the cockpit, before wrapping an arm around her, kissing her on the lips and neck, while in his human-hobbit form. When he became this form, his clothes changed with him. In this form, he was a bright blue-eyed hobbit with short pointy ears, fair features, almost elven in appearance, pale skin, and thick, curly, brown hair on his head and the tops of his pale feet. Oh, how he missed this form, the way he missed his dear wife!

He released her, changing back into his red dragonoid form. He continued to embrace her, not letting her go. For a moment, he got a vision of his wife. He didn't want to see it. Only the vision showed him inside Vitiate's throne room, Parker's wife and family were there, facing off against the Sith Lord. The last thing he saw was him running up to his wife and holding her, followed by a bright flash.

Oh dear. He hoped nothing bad happened to his wife!

"What is it? Another vision?" Eliza asked, concerned.

"It is," Parker said with a sigh. He pulled her off to the side, telling her, "Listen. No matter what happens, don't go against Vitiate alone. Trust me."

"What did you see?" Eliza asked, worried now.

"Something awful, like a battle. I didn't see the outcome," Parker admitted with a shrug. "Come on. We'd better catch up to our family. We don't want anything happening to them."

"No, we wouldn't," Eliza said, following her husband outside the ship and onto a wide grey ledge, hoping against hope that nothing happened to them at all. She was wrong. Very, very wrong.

.

Parker pulled out his lightsaber, following his family down the ledge and into the first hallway they saw. After a few turns, they entered a large throne room with torches lit and a high grey ceiling. The walls and floor were grey and black, while red banners hung on either side of the Sith Emperor's throne.

And there, sitting on his throne, was Vitiate, all dressed in black robes and appearing as an older man, fierce and cunning.

"What's the meaning of this?" Vitiate said, fuming. "Where's Qua'ra? Don't tell me she did indeed betray me? It's been a year since I last saw you both, Maranguan!"

"I don't go by that name anymore, Vitiate," Parker said, brandishing his silver-beamed lightsaber. "Now, stand down!"

"Oh, don't you?" Vitiate asked, testing him. "Whether you like it or not, your name and Maranguan are one in the same. There's light and darkness in you. I can sense it, Parker Dooley!"

"Don't let him fool you!" Janet told Parker, defending him. She looked at Vitiate, telling him now, "Parker's done more good in the past year than you ever know! I know. I've seen his holorecordings."

"That's beside the point!" Vitiate said, angry. He pointed an index finger at them, standing up as he did so. "You will all pay for your insolence!"

"Anabeth, now!" Janet cried, taking a step back.

Maxin joined Janet, just before Vitiate blasted Parker with Force Lightning. Parker snarled, repelling the purple lightning with his lightsaber's silver beamed blade. It worked so far, but he didn't know how long he could hold on! There had to be something he could do!

 _Whack!_

Parker grunted. The force of the stab to his heart sent shockwaves up his spine. He hardly noticed Vitiate stopping, enraged by what he saw. A chilling sensation coursed through Parker's veins. His physical scars healed, but not all of the scars had vanished from his head, body, and tail. He turned around, not by his own will, as he looked at Anabeth, who was smiling at him.

"You're nearly whole again," Anabeth said with a warm-hearted smile. "The icicle seeped inside you. It's gone now!"

"Anabeth, I don't know what to say—" Parker was cut off by Vitiate, who was clearly vexed.

"Enough of this!" Vitiate screamed, blasting another bolt of Force Lightning in the air, targeting his next victim.

Parker spun around, stunned to see his family back away from the blast. All except Eliza! Eliza was standing right in the middle of the target zone, where Vitiate was blasting his Force Lightning at her! "NOOOOOO!" Parker screamed, charging towards Eliza and moving in front of her. He kept his back to Vitiate as the blast of the Force Lightning struck him.

A bright light engulfed the area. Parker felt a strong wave reach his heart, lightening it and making him whole again, now bathed in the power of the Light Side. By the time the blast ended, the room returned to its dimly lit glow, Parker no longer had any physical scars. His irises returned to their usual yellow color. No more swirling red mist in his eyes, too!

They did it. They all did it, including Vitiate! Even if the Sith Emperor didn't sense it… or maybe he did. Either way, Parker Dooley was whole again, no longer bound to the Dark Side, even though he could feel a small amount of darkness linger inside his heart. That little speck was bearable, and he would live with that darkness for the rest of his life, including the part of himself that was Maranguan.

Maranguan would never leave his side. He would always be there, in his twisted, evil-grey manner, guiding him or just being cheeky.

"What?" Vitiate asked, stunned and angry now. "How dare you come in here and betray my trust! Get out! Never return! The lot of you. Really!" He seethed, hoping he at least accomplished something today.

"We did it," Parker chuckled, happily. The expressions on his family were grave. He turned to Eliza. She wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing. Her eyes were closed. There was no pulse. No! She was dead.


	5. The Way Home

"Eliza?" Parker asked his dead wife, tearing up. "Eliza, please, wake up. Please." He moved a lock of brunette hair off Eliza's face, weeping in her arms.

He couldn't believe this. Eliza Bowler, the girl who he pinned to a wall when they first met, who went on adventures with him, who helped raise their son Maxin and the golden-brown lion Corin, was dead.

He knew the outcome of this fight would be great. A suicidal mission. But to lose his wife so soon, after they were just reunited, was unfair! Truly, he wished there was another way he could mend this. Maybe if he healed her, then she would be well again. She couldn't die! Not now!

"I will make you better," Parker said, tears running down his red scaly face. "I will make you better." He repeated, casting a healing charm over his dead wife's corpse. Nothing. She was gone. Truly gone! How could this happen?

"Parker, Parker," Janet coaxed him, trying to get the red dragonoid to move, to do something, "we have to move. We have to go! Parker, we must go! Please?"

"Ha ha ha ha!" Vitiate chuckled, enjoying this victory. He turned sharply to Janet, blasting her with purple lightning.

"NOOOOO!" Parker screamed again, watching as Janet fell in a heap, not moving, not breathing. She was… she was… dead, too? No! Janet couldn't die. Eliza couldn't die. No. How could this be? He watched Anabeth and Maxin approach Janet's dead body. Anabeth checked Janet's pulse.

There was no pulse. Eliza and Janet were truly dead, and the light red dragonoid hated that! He glared at Vitiate, vowing to get him back… he… he couldn't get him back for what he'd done. This was the price Parker paid for being here. This was his fault! He led Eliza and Janet to their deaths!

This was not how it was supposed to be.

"Let them go!" Aslan entered the throne room, growling at Vitiate. "Enough of this! Enough blood has been shed already. Let's not have any more!"

"This is their doing!" Vitiate snarled, pointing at Parker and what was left of his family. "They were the ones who entered my citadel. They knew very well why they came." He seethed, telling Aslan, "You have no place here! This is Sith territory."

"And so, it begins," Aslan said, calmly. "Your arrogance will be your downfall. Not just by this family. Enough bloodshed, Vitiate. Not today."

"I will not tolerate this!" Vitiate spoke, beyond agitated. "Get out of my sight, all of you! Don't come back!"

Aslan nodded. He approached Eliza and Janet, blowing on their corpses. Eliza and Janet's bodies vanished in glowing sparkles, disappearing through a golden portal that looked like rippled glass. The rippled glass changed, revealing a land with grassland and plains. A village was present, full of dragonoids, all waiting to begin the funerals of Eliza Bowler-Dooley and Janet. Parker sagged, heartbroken and empty. What was he to do now?

"Come on, Parker," Aslan said, nodding to him. "It's time to go." He turned to Corin, Anabeth, and Maxin, telling them as well. "It's time to move."

"Will the same thing happen to me?" Corin asked Aslan, curious. "Will I die, too?"

"All things have their time. Yours will come soon," Aslan said, leading the way through the portal.

"Come on, dad. We should get out of here," Maxin said, helping his dragonoid father to his feet as they climbed through the portal and back to Dragon's Hallow, where the funeral procession awaited them. Corin and Anabeth followed behind them, with Aslan at the rear.

Aslan took one last look at Vitiate, who sat on his throne, looking high and mighty. The Great Lion shook his head, turning to the portal, and climbing through it. The portal vanished, leaving Vitiate victorious.

.

The funeral was quick, but also painful. There were many who came to Eliza and Janet's funerals, many of whom knew Janet when she was little, when she was a Dalmatian. Anabeth tried to smile, but couldn't. Her grief and her tears were too much to bear.

Janet was her mother! And now she was gone, leaving Anabeth wondering what she should do with the rest of her life. How could she go on knowing her mother wouldn't be there to walk her down the aisle? What would become of their family legacy?

Anabeth tapped her belt. She still had the panpipe, Pan's panpipe, that her mother gave to her, long before they ever thought about going to Dragon's Hallow. She nodded, ensuring the panpipe would be passed down to the next generation, ensuring that her line and Maxin's line would grow.

This she knew must happen, now that she would have a dragonoid for a father-in-law, protecting her and Maxin from harm.

"Yes. I miss them, too," Maxin said, teary-eyed but braving it. "Don't worry. Eliza and Janet will always be with us."

"I wonder how your father's handling it," Anabeth said, staring at Parker with mournful eyes.

It was obvious. Parker Dooley was still mourning for his wife. Eliza Bowler-Dooley, his mate, had been more than a close friend to him. She was his life partner. And now, she was gone and he was still alive, with only his grief to save him.

What would happen now? How could he go on, if Eliza wasn't with him, tending him, checking to see if he was okay? He never expected to feel so much grief over someone so dear to him. How does one go on after this kind of loss?

"You'll just have to move on and bear with it," a light, masculine voice interrupted Parker's train of thought. Parker turned, facing a hobbit who looked just like him in human-hobbit form. Only this particular hobbit was donned in blue clothing. Who was he? What was he doing here?

"Who are you? Are you dead?" Parker asked, stunned.

The hobbit smiled. "I am. And now, you can see the dead, after witnessing your lover killed off. You may not have understood death in the past, but now, you do or are wrapping your head around it. You've seen death more than once, but never quite like this. It's almost ominous."

Parker snarled. Who was this hobbit and why was he mocking him?

"Easy! I'm a friend." The hobbit man said, extending his hand to him. "Tobias, father of Anabeth and husband to Janet. I come with a warning. Not particularly a bad one, but one you'll need to understand in weeks to come, maybe even Ages."

"Why? What do you know?" Parker asked, not liking this hobbit man one bit.

"Don't play coy with me, Parker Dooley," Tobias said, intimidating him. "I recognize your kind. Determined, never thinking about yourself, fighting the good fight! Did you know Eliza has been looking for you this whole time? Anyway, that's beside the point: I come with a warning, and that warning is that in each Age you enter, one of your generation, the masculine type, will look like me and you in hobbit-human form, depending on which form they take."

He patted Parker's shoulder, telling him, "Food for thought. Now, I would suggest meeting up with your wife over by that hill." He pointed to a lone hill, a few feet away. "Go on. This won't be long." He added, curiously, "Oh, and there's one more thing: I'll be your guide from now on, helping you out as you go on your journeys, quests, and missions. I may not always be around, but you'll know it's me, the moment you see me." He smiled, chuckling as he vanished, leaving Parker to face his spirit wife.

Parker moved towards a green hill, a few feet away from the funerals. There, standing on the hill, dressed in a white sparkly dress, was a brunette-haired woman. She turned around, making Parker gasp at the sight of her. It was his wife alright! His human wife! She looked so beautiful and so at peace with herself.

"Hello Parker," Eliza smiled, enthralled to see him. "It feels so long ago since I died."

"Are you a ghost?" Parker asked, curiously.

"Why yes, I am," Eliza said, admitting forthwith.

Parker smiled, embracing her once again. She was so cold and so warm, cooling him down and making him feel better. Making him feel more at peace with himself. He released her, determined to ask her so many questions. There were so many things he wanted to tell her! But he knew it wouldn't be enough.

There simply wasn't enough time in the worlds for anyone to see their loved ones again.

"Eliza, I don't know what to say," Parker said, hesitant. His heart thumped madly inside his chest. And yet, the tears didn't stop. "Why can't you stay with me? Why must you leave me?"

"I'm never gone. I'll always be right here." Eliza tapped his chest with her index finger, allowing him to feel his chest, where his heart resided. She smiled, telling him fondly, "I'll never be far away. Whenever you need me, I will come. How soon or how late, it doesn't matter. I will always be with you."

"What did you want to tell me?" Parker asked, curious. "Tobias said you needed to say something."

"He speaks the truth," Eliza said with a warm-hearted sigh. "When you leave here, life won't be the same. The seasons are changing and so is time. Because Vitiate wasn't defeated by us, we must rely on others to defeat him. As for you, your journey has only started."

She added out of sympathy, "Take Tobias' advice as well as mine. Go with the dragonoids throughout time. You'll stop at each entrance to the next Age. Our descendants will need you and you'll need them. Each Age will have someone who looks like you and Tobias. It's important that you help them out with their problems and their quests. More than that, I cannot say. Not here, not now." She sighed. "Good luck, Parker. I'll see you soon." She lowered her head, vanishing. Parker collapsed on his knees, stunned by what he just saw.

"What was that?" Parker asked, surprised but knowing his next destination was not here, not at Dragon's Hallow. No. Instead, his road turned elsewhere, to worlds unknown.


	6. Epilogue: Destiny Lies Ahead

This is the last chapter of this story. :'(

*.*.*

Qua'ra witnessed her sister Kat'ka's wedding. It was her first act as Empress to let Kat'ka marry Valo Ensi as soon as possible. Nothing else mattered but her sister's wellbeing.

As she gazed at the stars, Qua'ra couldn't help but wonder if Parker was enjoying his son's wedding, too.

"Drink?" Melena asked, passing to Qua'ra a wine glass filled to the brim with blue liquid.

"Thanks. Don't mind if I do!" Qua'ra said, taking the wine glass from her sister's hands. After the first sip, Qua'ra looked out the temple window, enduring another heartfelt night.

"I wonder what happened to Parker," Melena said, worriedly. "Aslan said he had a lot of thinking to do after his wife's death."

"I don't know. I just hope he's happy," Qua'ra said, moved by her sister's words.

~o~

Maxin and Anabeth's wedding ended on a high note. The Renegade Alliance witnessed their marriage, and thanked them kindly for their service with protecting the worlds from Vitiate, for as long as they could endure Vitiate's reign.

Parker recalled the wedding had blue and white silk flowing on the pews, as well as on the ceiling. Blue and white flowers garnished the wedding hall and the reception hall. It truly was a wedding he couldn't forget, and being able to walk Anabeth down the aisle, in honor of her mother and father, was blissful.

After the wedding was over that afternoon, Parker made his way over to the glen, where he buried his wife's ashes. Before him stood a grey stone tombstone with writing etched into the stone, which read: _Eliza Bowler-Dooley._ Under her name, was etched these words: _Friend, Companion, Dragon Keeper_.

These were the words he made sure to scrawl on his wife's tombstone, for no magic could undo the work of hands. His wife had been more than a companion to him. She was his mate. And now, she was gone and he was forced to repeat that to himself.

But she was never gone. She was still with him. No part of him could deny that. He just found it difficult to move on without her, caring for him like she always did and him in return. How could he go on without her guiding him through the good and the bad? After what he did to her, when he made that self-sacrifice, putting his life on the line to see his wife was safe and sound, tore right through him.

He would make it up to her, now that she was a spirit. No amount of suffering could make up for the actions Vitiate did to him and his family. Every hero would triumph. Every villain would pay for what they'd done to the innocent and those who could not speak for themselves.

Yes. This was right. And he knew it.

He would not give up now. He would go on, and every world would know what he did. Every world would live to see another day, just like he was.

Corin knew it that day as well, what Parker would do, even as the red dragonoid stood up and followed him back to the reception hall. For a dragonoid's work is never done.

*.*.*

And so, we end my mini fanfiction duology, _The Freedom Fighters_ , as well as my fanfic series, _Before the First Age_ Anthology, part of my Origin Series and my Long Series. :)

Thanks everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to read this fanfic until the end. It is much appreciated. :)

This isn't the end of my Origin Series, and definitely not the end of my Long Series. :) Now that my fanfic series, _Before the First Age_ , is done, I will be moving onto the next stage of my Origin Series, _The First Age_. A little sneak preview will show the migration of my shapeshifting dragonoids, as well as Parker's first jump through time to the First Age, where new adventures await him.

That's all I will say on the matter. I'll see everyone in the next story. Bye! :)

 _Aria Breuer_


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